Eunice Anderson, 91
Eunice Anderson, age 91 of Walnut Grove passed away
on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at Valley View Manor
in Lamberton following a stroke. Funeral services
were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 4, 2008
at English Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove.
Euncie Anderson was born on July 8, 1916 in Carroll
County near Lanesboro, Iowa to Albert and Clara
(Riedesel) Beckmann. She was baptized and confirmed
in the Methodist faith. She moved with her family
to Walnut Grove in 1920, then to Lamberton in 1925
where she graduated from high school in 1933. Eunice
was united in marriage to Valarious Anderson on
January 1, 1935. After enjoying a two month honeymoon
visiting relatives in Iowa, they settled into farming
and raising a family. They lived on farms near Lamberton,
Wanda and Walnut Grove, moving into Walnut Grove
in November 1981. Val passed away Thanksgiving night
in 1986. Eunice moved to Country View apartments
in Walnut Grove in May 2005. After suffering a stroke
in November 2007, she moved to Lamberton Valley
View Nursing Home.
Eunice was a faithful member of St. Olaf and English
Lutheran Churches and for many years she enjoyed
the fellowship of Ruth Circle, Mission Circle and
English WELCA. She held different offices in church,
taught Sunday School and Bible School. Eunice was
a member of Sew-So Club and Hill Birthday Club.
She spent the entire year crocheting over 200 snowflakes
every year for friends, family and church. Every
high school graduate in the family received a quilt,
as well as her children on their 25th wedding anniversary.
She had continued sewing quilt tops for missions
after she was no longer able to hand quilt. She
enjoyed helping in the fields, tending to her vegetable
and flower gardens, reading Western novels and spending
time with her family. She was called ‘Grandma
Tippy’ or ‘Flower Grandma’ by
her grandchildren after the pet dog and flower dresses
she wore.
She is survived by her children and spouses: Judy
and Don Johnson of Walnut Grove, Wayne and Connie
Anderson of Tracy, Ken and Sandy Anderson of Revere,
Dee and Brian Skalbeck of Mound, and Barb and Walt
Boyd of Fortson, GA; sisters: Fern Larson of St.
James and Pearl and John Anderson of Wakarusa, IN,
and brother Dietrich and Kelly Beckmann of Brookfield,
WI; 14 grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren
and great-great grandchildren, and many nieces,
nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband,
three brothers and two sisters.
Interment was in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. The
Walnut Grove Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Lyle Porter, 91
Services for Lyle O. Porter will be 11 a.m. Thursday,
February 7, 2008 at the Tracy United Methodist Church.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday,
February 6, 2008 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy,
with a prayer service at 5 p.m. and the Masonic
service following. Visitation will continue on Thursday
one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment
will be at the Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in
the early Summer of 2008. The Almlie Funeral Home
of Tracy is handling the arrangements. Online condolences
may be placed at www.almliefh.com.
Lyle Orvin Porter was born June 6, 1916 to Elgin
and Dorothy (Fisher) Rea in Tracy, MN, Lyon County.
He was baptized and confirmed in the Tracy United
Methodist Church and attended Tracy Public Schools.
Lyle graduated from Tracy High School in 1934 and
then received a two year accounting degree.
On July 31, 1936 Lyle married Leona A. Lemon in
Sioux Falls, SD and they made their home in California
shortly thereafter. They returned to Tracy when
Lyle was drafted into the U.S. Army in May of 1945.
He was stationed at Camp Robinson in Arkansas and
received his Honorable Discharge in August of 1946
with a rank of Technician Fifth Grade. Lyle returned
to Tracy and worked for the Land-o-Lakes Company
as a bookkeeper and then for Gordon Mattson’s
John Deere Implement before opening his own business
in 1956. Lyle operated Lyle O. Porter Accounting
until his retirement in 1993 when he sold his business
to Minehart and Associates of Marshall, MN.
Lyle was a life long member of the Tracy United
Methodist Church, a member of the Tracy American
Legion and the Minnesota Association of Public Accountants.
He was also a very active member of the Masonic
Lodge #155 in Tracy, where he was part of the Scottish
Right’s and served the Lodge as Worshipful
Master. Lyle will be remembered for his great sense
of humor and honesty and his love of flying, holding
a pilot’s license for many years.
In 2007 he moved to his grandson’s home in
Burnsville, MN. On Sunday, February 3, 2008 Lyle
died, surrounded by his loving family, at the age
of 91.
Lyle is survived by his one daughter, Camilla (Jeremy)
Ipsen of Sarasota, FL; one son, Ronald (Della) Porter
of Lake Benton, MN; four grandchildren, Greg (special
friend, Amy Shaw) Ipsen of Burnsville, MN, Scott
Ipsen of St. Paul, MN, Erin (Troy) Ipsen-Borgersen
of St. Paul, MN and Rochelle (special friend, Barry
Severin) Porter of Joliet, IL; ten great grandchildren;
one great great grandchild; nieces and nephews.
His parents, wife, Leona and many siblings preceded
him in death.

Philip Hassenstab, 67
Philip M. Hassenstab, 67, of Mason City, IA, died
Friday, February 1, 2008 at Mercy Medical Health
Center-North Iowa after a sudden illness. Funeral
services were held Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at
10:30 AM at St. James Lutheran Church, Mason City,
with Pastor Paul C. Nelson, Pastor Jeni Bohls and
Pastor Patti Aurand of the First Congregational
United Church of Christ officiating.
Phil was born March 11, 1940, in Seattle, Wash.
He moved with his family to Minnesota and graduated
from Tracy (Minn.) High School in 1958. He attended
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in
Rapid City, S.D., graduating with a degree in civil
engineering.
On June 10, 1961, he married LaDonna Jean Foster
in Walnut Grove, Minn. He joined the Iowa Department
of Transportation in 1962, starting his engineering
career in Denison, Marengo and Council Bluffs before
moving to Mason City in 1974. He retired from the
DOT in 2002. Phil was active in the River City Barbershop
Chorus for more than 30 years, and was honored as
“Barbershopper of the Year” in 1987.
He served several roles with the chorus, including
president and most recently chorus librarian. He
was also a long-time member of St. James Lutheran
Church and a friend of First Congregational Church.
He enjoyed participating in the activities of the
Saint James Saints, and was also a member of the
Mason City Noon Kiwanis. He enjoyed music, reading,
traveling, cooking, sports, and first and foremost,
his family. He was an amazing husband, father and
grandfather.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, LaDonna,
of Mason City; daughter Colleen Fritz, her husband
Scott and son Luke of Cedar Rapids; son Scott Hassenstab,
his wife Mary Ellen Rogers and their daughters Cara,
Nicole and Erin of Hiawatha; daughter Kelly Hidlebaugh
and her children Katie and Jake of Marion; daughter
Lisa Hassenstab and her partner Ryan Underwood of
Niles, Ill.; brother Jerry Hassenstab and his wife
Nanette Straw of Edmonds, Wash.; sister-in-law Lani
Hassenstab of Edmonds, Wash.; sister-in-law LeOna
Haase and her husband Don of Blue Earth, Minn; sister-in-law
Lori Bents and her husband Mark of Apple Valley,
Minn..; eight nieces and nephews; and many great-nieces
and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father,
LeRoy Hassenstab; his mother, Mary McLean Hassenstab;
and brother Paul Hassenstab.
Interment was in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to St. James Lutheran
Church or First Congregational Church in Mason City.